We appear to be heading out of the lock-down which apparently affected TV folk more than everyone else. For the best part of four months it seemed that the virus had rendered most news staff incapable of thinking rationally. Their technique of communicating was to rush from one politician to another followed by a breathless interview with their chosen expert of the day. After which they then suggested that whatever was being done by our authorities was not in accordance with ‘expert’ opinion. And, just to make sure that the listener understood that our own leaders were incompetent, they added a dash of unfavourable comparison with whichever foreign country suited that message.
Mind you; I am not saying that our political classes did not make some howlers, but I believe license payers pay the Media to give us the data or facts in such a way as to allow us to make up our own opinions. Journalists with degrees in Media Studies, Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) or English Lit, are no more capable than most listeners at analysing data and thus determining facts. What we listeners pay for, but did not get, was impartial balance.
I also find, there is only so much self-indulgent negativity one can take from high profile journalists, and so I chose to get a lot of my data from sources closer to the facts. At times, I felt popular media was so unbalance that it reminded me of those religious zealots who talk most about the book of the Revelation, and only read a Gospel or letter of St Paul when it support their own apocalyptic predispositions.
But; if the news cannot give us balance and pleasure, growing vegetables can. And I have had great pleasure and satisfaction by being helped by neighbours to erect a 15’x14’ tunnel from Northern Polytunnels. All its components are made in Britain and the one of its new design features is that tensioning the polythene towards the end of the build operation is achieved by raising the central hoops. There is no need to dig channels all around to hold the polythene which, after about ten years, is replaceable without dismantling the main structure.
I also purchased raised beds which I suppose I could have partly filled with a few tractor buckets of our own soil but, as I didn’t want the hassle of weeds appearing for years, I sourced weed-free top soil (John Innes No.1) from Chamberlains on the Newent to Dymock road. We added a layer of wool, prior to topping the beds off with compost. Wool is useful as it provides various nutrients and nitrogen and, as a fleece of top quality knitting wool is now worth only 40 pence per kilo, it is not worth taking this year’s clip to the Bromyard collection centre.
I was disappointed that the wool will not be used for creating colourful and pleasingly tactile textile products. Strangely the same feeling applies when I am not given a balanced view by broadcasters. I guess than when I come across anything one-sided, my mind feels compelled to supply the other just to get a balance. However, as is usually the case, surprising outcomes can arise when least expected.
Talking about unexpected outcomes, reminds me of the time when John and Keith from Montana went skiing in Idaho but late in the evening got caught in a terrible blizzard which forced them to stop at the door of a very impressive ranch.
An attractive lady answered the door. She listened whilst they asked if they could stay the night until the storm lifted. “No” she replied whilst explaining that she was recently widowed and that the neighbours would talk if they were seen. Gallantly, John said. ‘Don’t worry, we’ll sleep in the big hay barn and be gone before daylight.’ The lady agreed, and the two men settled in for the night.
However, exactly nine months later, John received an unexpected visit from the attorney of the attractive widow. As the lawyer drove away, John looked puzzled, scratched his head and then popped around to see Keith. “Hi, do you remember that night in the barn in Idaho. “ He asked. “Sure I do, why do you ask said Keith?” “Well, replied John, ‘did you sneak over in the night to pay the lady a visit, but then told her your name was John? …. After a long pause, a red-faced and embarrassed Keith admitted the subterfuge and said “How did you figure it out.” With a pause, a shrug and a nonchalant smile John replied:
“Well ….. it’s just that she’s died and left me everything.”
View from the Pew 